OCR Text |
Show Official Ballot Title: For Shall the Utah Constitution be amended to prohibit any and from person convicted of a felony from voting the until in Utah office hold to right to being eligible vote or hold elective office is restored as provided by statute, and to modify language relating to the restoration of rights for other persons prohibited by the constitution from voting and holding office in Utah? O Against (J) Proposition No. 4 RESOLUTION ELIMINATING VOTING RIGHTS OF CONVICTED FELONS final passage: Votes cast by the members of the Legislature at the 1998 General Session on HOUSE (75 members): Yeas, 63; Nays, 3; Absent, 9. SENATE (29 members): Yeas, 23; Nays, 1; Absent, 5. Impartial Analysis to those three categories provide for the restoration of civil rights of persons. of a felony from Proposition 4 restricts any person convicted restricts those in This Utah. office proposition and holding voting is restored as office elective hold vote or to the until right rights to the It modifies also relating statute. language provided by to the of right vote restoration of rights for other persons deprived Proposed changes to prohibit a Proposition 4 amends the Utah Constitution - from a of convicted those felony fourth category of persons also replaces in This Utah. office proposition and holding voting the current language, unless restored to civil rights, with new hold elective office is restored language, until the right to vote or as provided by statute. The effect of Proposition 4 is to prohibit all four categories of persons from voting and holding office in Utah until the right to vote or hold elective office is restored as or hold office. Current voting law applicable to persons convicted of a felony Neither the Utah Constitution nor Utah statutes currently restrict a person convicted of a felony from voting or holding office in Utah. Persons convicted of a felony may, and occasionally do, Current Utah statutes specify that vote in Utah elections. incarcerated persons, including persons convicted of a felony, are residents of the voting district in which they resided before they provided by statute. Legislation effective on passage of Proposition were incarcerated. Current restrictions on the 4 H.B. 190, Felon Voting Restrictions, 1998 General Session, will become law on January 1, 1999 only if Proposition 4 is convicted to approved by the voters. H.B. 190 applies any person incarcerated felons It court. state Utah a in prohibits a of felony from registering to vote and allows persons to challenge a voters is an incarcerated felon. right to vote on the grounds that the person H.B. 190 also requires the lieutenant governor, in conjunction with the Department of Corrections, to maintain a list of all incarcerated right to vote and hold office in Utah The Utah Constitution presently prohibits persons from who are: 1) mentally voting and holding office in Utah or 3) convicted of a crime incompetent; 2) convicted of treason; allows these Constitution Utah The franchise. against the elective to civil restored are if in Utah office hold they or vote persons to nor Utah statutes Constitution Utah the neither rights. Currently felons. H.B. 190 restores the right to vote to each person convicted of is a felony who is sentenced to probation by the sentencing judge, the term has or Board of completed the Pardons, granted parole by 29 |